There has been a buzz in Houston over the past few weeks since Blue Bell announced they would start distribution again. Soon after that announcement, we had a date – August 31, 2015 – and the countdown started. Now it is over and we all know that we have survived the unimaginable – a hot, humid, horrible summer in Houston without Blue Bell ice cream.

For the past several months, I noticed the ice cream aisles in our supermarkets have been like a ghost town. The persons that I did encounter on those lonely aisles would have a look of frustration on their faces as we all attempted to determine a suitable substitution for the ice cream that we Texans have enjoyed for over 100 years. I tried other brands over the past several months and they were flavorful and tasty in their own right. However, they just didn’t satisfy me like Blue Bell. It is something that is hard to explain.

So, for the past few weeks, I have had lots of discussions at work, with family and friends about the strategy of acquiring some Blue Bell ice cream on August 31, 2015. We all believe that everyone will make a mad dash to the supermarket to purchase as much Blue Bell as they can and there will probably be some celebrations. I know the local news media is planning to report live from some supermarkets. We are just that serious about Blue Bell Ice Cream.

Even though there will be a limited release of flavors, everyone in my circle is happy to know that Homemade Vanilla is among that release. It is a signal that a Texas tradition is being revived again.

This past weekend my girlfriends and I kicked off the 2014 holiday season by attending our first event of the season at the Ensemble Theatre in Houston, Texas (http://www.ensemblehouston.com). As a long-time subscriber, I can always count on the Ensemble Theatre to add a different spice, a different flavor, and a different flair to the traditional offerings on the Houston theatre scene during the holiday season. Their production of “A Soulful Christmas” is a refreshing new addition for this season.

When I heard the title I knew we would enjoy some great music and we were not disappointed. The musical ensembles mesmerized us with their rendition of familiar Christmas songs from the 1940’s to the present and the story that was wrapped around the music was very original. The talent of the singers, actors, and dancers was of stellar quality and it was difficult to keep still in our seats.

Since it is still early in the holiday season, I don’t want to be a “spoiler” about the production so this post about it will be short. For those of you in or near Houston, I highly recommend that you get a ticket as soon as you can because I know all of the shows will sell out.